Heresy – Too Much Hockey?

But after two lunches, I felt like I was at Willy Wonka’s Pizza Factory and getting ready to be dipped in liquid mozzerella.

The thought of another slice meant social disaster in a public place.

Getting to feel the same about the current situation with minor league hockey in general and the Rampage in particular.

I love hockey! But I’m getting nauseous, not because how the Rampage haven’t bothered to show up the last two nights.

But because they’ve had to show up the last two nights.

In fact, the Rampage have had to show up seven of the last 10 nights. SEVEN OF THE LAST 1O NIGHTS.

I put that in caps in case you might have thought that was a misprint.

Stretch the schedule, and the Rampage have had to play eight games in 12 nights, and after Tuesday night’s game against Peoria, it will be nine in 14.

Come on, this is hockey, not curling.

I took advantage of John Whistler having the reporting task Saturday night for the Express-News to watch the second period from the zamboni door. These guys on the ice reminded me up close and personal that hockey is not for wussies.

Bumps, blisters, bruises, brain damage… all part of this game. And how much does the schedule cheapen a cheap ticket by demanding that the players play at optimum effort every single shift when they’ve barely had time to catch their breath?

The American Hockey League in all it’s wisdom, has the local team playing almost every night for two weeks.

How ridiculous is that?

I know the person(s) responsible aren’t incompetent. But I wonder if they have ever seen a hockey game.

Now, it must be pointed out that every AHL team has a brutal scheduling stretch at some point(s) of their season. But here is the 64-thousand dollar question.

Why?

Well, for every home game, there has to be a visiting team, for one.

And in the minor leagues, there is a notion, perhaps supported by some research, that suggests Monday-Thursday games are the equivilant of a glorified practice when it comes to attracting crowds — they live for those Friday and Saturday dates.

Building availabilities have something to do with the scheduling process.

So another question — does the AHL have to play an 80-game schedule?

The NHL players association and it’s members, the players, would laugh aloud if the NHL owners even suggested their teams play three-games-in-three nights, and in some cases, in three different cities.

But the NHL and their development league, the AHL, begin their season’s the first week in October and finish the same time in April. How does the NHL prevent the 8-in-12 scenarios?

For one, the NHL now plays games on Monday nights. Their Tuesday nights are busier than the AHL, which will be relatively quiet until Friday nights, with rare games on weekday evenings.

Thursday has tradionally been a busy NHL night.

Not so in the AHL.

There are 3, that’s THREE Thursday night games scheduled in March.

There is ONE Monday night game in March and that’s in Abbotsford, Canada, where Canadians will theoretically go to hockey games on any day at any time no matter what, except a Toronto Marlies game at any time.

Rather than commit to playing on those weekday nights, the AHL has increased its Sunday slate to where 10 games were played last Sunday, meaning 20 teams were on the job, making 3-in-3 not an option but a necessity in many markets.

Some suggestions to alleviate the madness of having hockey players lace them up for nine games in 14 nights?

First, reduce the schedule to 70 games. Think of the travel savings, and saving the sanity of players and staff alike.

Second, play more two or three game series. I recall going to Indianapolis Checkers games of the CHL where the Montana Magic or the Salt Lake Golden Eagles would come in for three or four games. If the league requires their teams to play an incredible amount of games, at least do it in one city.

Third — even out the schedule. The Rampage played EIGHT games in all of November (and you remember how well they played that month) — now, the league is having them play the same amount of games in two weeks!

I kind of feel like, with the pizza analogy, I’ve bitten into a slice with anchovies on it when a hockey schedule is this clogged.

As much as I enjoy the game, how can the league expect these guys to perform anywhere near peak efficiency when they cram this many games together?

Sure, baseball teams play 21 days in a row, but the most aerobic moment at a ballpark is when someone from the third row climbs the stairs to get nachos.

Ok, legging out a triple requires an aerobic moment, but how often does that happen? Even the home run trots are just that — trots, and in the case of Manny Ramirez, a brisk walk around the bases,

Football teams get a week to recover for the most part, and rarely, if ever, play more than two straight games on the road.

The Spurs and their fans complain when they have to play back-to-back games. Can you imagine the whining if they had to suit up three-straight?

Only in minor league hockey are employees required to give their time, blood and other body fluids in the effort of entertaining the fans.

Too much of a good thing isn’t good. Even if we’re talking hockey.

From Syracuse

In an article by Lindsay Kramer in the Post-Standard Sunday:

Notes – Hustle play of the day – and maybe the season – was turned in by Chad Kolarik in the first. Kostka’s shot got by Lalande, and the puck spun slowly behind the unsuspecting goalie. Just as it was inches from the goal line, Kolarik, on the left side of the crease dove with stick fully extended and pushed it aside.

“It was heading into the net. I kind of hesitated a second,” Kolarik said. “You get puck-watching. It was a hustle play, but a lucky play. I happened to get a good piece of it.”

San Antonio fans know all about Kolarik’s abilities. He scored in his first Crunch game and added an assist.

SSSSSSSS

That sound you may have heard five minutes into Sunday’s game against Rockford was the Rampage season slipping away after the IceHogs bolted out to a 2-0 lead.

But then something happened.

What? Dunno.

But the Rampage scored the next seven goals, Josh Tordjman looked like, well, Josh Tordjman after doing his best Simon Lajeunesse impression the last two nights and the Rampage offense kicked in after two games of dormancy.

Many in the locker room agreed Tordjman’s performance buoyed spirits and stoked the comeback.

Kyle Turris’ top shelf shot coming out of the penalty box and Jeff Hoggan’s shorthanded tally moments later shifted the momentum;

And Alexandre Picard checked in with two pretty goals, set up nicely by crossing passes from big Mac.

“I was expecting the trade,” said Picard, a former Columbus first-round pick acquired for Chad Kolarik. “It’s been five years since I was with the Blue Jackets. I needed a fresh start and I guess Phoenix really wanted me. It’s good to feel like somebody wants you.”

Yep — keep scoring two goals a game and Rampage fans will definately put out the welcome mat.

Big Game Tuesday

One of those Tuesday night games most folks ignore should be a dandy, as Peoria and San Antonio, tied for fifth, faceoff at the AT&T Center.

Peoria does have two games in hand on the Rampage, so a San Antonio win without a point going to the Rivermen will be huge.

Should the Rampage do the near impossible and get into the playoffs, remember today’s seven-goal run and return from the dead. This may be that turning point we’ll be pointing to in the Rampage run to the post-season.

Final Thought

Kudos to Frank Lessard Sunday. He racked up 38 penalty minutes as the two teams combined for 122 minutes off the ice. But Lessard actually backed off when Rockford’s Kyle Hagel tried to get the Rampage enforcer to tangle in the second period. The resulting double-minor helped the Rampage extend their lead to 4-2 on David Schlemko’s goal.

It seemed everyone on the Rockford bench wanted to rip Lessard’s face off after his hit on Adam Hobson with 4:15 left in the first period. Lessard was whistled for charging, but was attacked by Rockford’s Nick Boynton, which ended his night for being the third man into an altercation. Lessard returned to face the wrath of the IceHogs, but drew their focus away from the actual game.

“Frankie can have that impact,” said Rampage head coach Ray Edwards after the game.

Of course, Lessard picked his moment of mayhem, crumpling Hobson who was out to get revenge for the earlier hit. Lessard wouldn’t quit and picked up a game misconduct and may have to face further league sanctions.

And Tony, do you remember earlier this season when the Spurs talk back (show where Spurs fans call in after each game)guy told his listeners that the Spurs were a tired team, after the SECOND game of the season.

And, what’s the status of my favorite Rampage player, Ryan Hollweg? I did not see Sunday’s game but my daughter (biggest Red Wings fan in San Antonio, by the way) tells me he got hit in the face by a puck! I guess that means that he will miss mustache night on Tuesday.

I completely agree with you on the scheduling. I am originally from Buffalo and watch the Sabres games here in San Antonio. One can definitely see a drop in play on the second of back-to-back games, and the third game in four nights is often worse. The NHL and AHL have similar scheduling periods – 80/82 games from October to April…and the NHL schedule is further compressed this year with the Olympic break. There is no need for the 8 games in 12 nights the Rampage gave.

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